Process and apparatus for refrigeation



Dec. 31, 1935. J. c ARMOR PROCESS AND APPARATUS FOR REFRIGERATION FiledSept. 28, 1952 s Sheets-81169.1: 1

INVENTOR Dec. 31, 1935. J. c. ARMOR PROCESS AND APPARATUS FORREFRIGERATION Fiied Sept. 28, 1952 5 Sheets-Sheet 2 INVENTOR Dec. 31,1935. J c ARMQR 2,026,206

PROCESS AND APPARATUS FOR REFRIGERATION Filed Sept. 28, 1952 3Sheets-Sheet 3 Patented Dec. 31, 1935 UNITED STATES PROCESS ANDAPPARATUS FOR REFRIGERATION James 0. Armor, Bellevue, Pa.

- Application September 28, 1932, Serial No. 635,147

14 Claims.

My invention relates to refrigeration by the absorption or adsorptionprinciple and hereinafter for the sake of brevity I use the word H r andits derivatives as including the word e rb" and its derivatives.

In the practice of my invention I alternately cool the absorbent tocause it to take up the refrigerant and heat the absorbent to distillthe refrigerant therefrom.

II also preferably employ the principle that certain liquids, such, forinstance, as brine and oil are poor conductors of heat so that a portionof a body of liquid such as the upper portion may be heated withoutmaterially raising the temperature of the lower portion of said body ofliquid. This characteristic is especially marked where the body ofliquid comprises a stratum of lighter liquid, such as oil, superimposedon a heavier liquid, such as brine.

In my invention I employ a container for the absorbent connected as by atube with a second container into which the refrigerant is driven bydistillation and wherein it condenses. When the predetermined quantityof refrigerant has been distilled from the absorbent-container andcondensed in the condenser evaporator-container, the latter is broughtinto heat transfer relation with the subject to be refrigerated, such,for instance, as a refrigerating medium such as brine, the refrigeratingmedium cooling the latter and evaporating the previously condensedrefrigerant, which evaporation causes the refrigerant to pass into andto be reabsorbed in the absorbent container. When the predeterminedamount of refrigerant is evaporated and reabsorbed in the firstcontainer, the evaporator-container is now moved out of such heattransfer relation and concurrently the absorbent-container is broughtinto heating relation to a source of heat, such, for instance, as a gasflame. The heat now applied to the absorbent-container results in thedistillation of the refrigerant out of the absorbent-container and itscondensation in the condenser evaporatorcontainer and the cycle ofoperation is thus continued.

I preferably arrange the two containers for movement in unison and bytaking advantage of the shifting of the weight from one container to theother as-the refrigerant is alternately absorbed into the one containerand then distilled into and condensed in the other container, I amenabled to provide for the automatic movement of the containers andconsequently the automatic operation of the process and apparatus. ThusI may mount the permanently connected containers on cpposite sides ofthe axis of movement either of oscillation or rotation, in such a mannerthat the heavier or refrigerant-containing container will descend,overbalancing the lighter container and causing the latter to ascend. Toobtain the proper movement I prefer to position the axis of movement ofthe assemblage below center of gravity, so that a shift of movement willbe rapidly eflected.

Other novel and characteristic features both 5 of operation andapparatus will appear from the following description.

In the accompanying drawings, wherein I have illustrated a practicalembodiment of the principles of my invention, Fig. 1 is a view partly inside elevation and partly in section showing a single unit apparatus.

Fig. 2 is a plan view of the same, the refrigerator being omitted.

Fig. 3 is a sectional detail on enlarged scale showing the combined fuelvalve and center of rotation.

Fig. 4 is a fragmental view partially in section showing a modified formof fuel-valve arrang ment.

Fig. 5 is a plan view partly in horizontal section showing amodification of the structure shown in Fig. 1.

Fig. 6 is a side elevation of the same.

Fig. 7 is a plan view of a two unit apparatus.

Fig. 8 is a side elevation of the same with parts in section.

Fig. 9 is a atic view in perspective showing another modified form'ofapparatus.

Fig. 10 is a sectional view of the same taken along the line ll-il inFig. 9.

Referring first to Figs. 1, 2, and 3 of the drawings, i represents aclosed container which is the absorbent container. 2 represents a metaltube on one end of which the container i is mounted, the bore of thetube communicating with the interior of the container. On the other endof the tube 2 is mounted a second container 3 which is acondenser-evaporator and whose interior also communicates with the boreof the tube 2.

In this embodiment of my apparatus the tube 2 mechanically supports thecontainers I and I, and is bowed or curved upwardly.

In the container l is a body of suitable absorbent material, such ascalcium chloride, silver chloride, charcoal, lie" and the assemblage ofcontainers l and 3 and tube 2 is provided with a suitable refrigerant,preferably ammonia.

4 represents a supporting arm whose upper end is fixed to the tube 2 atapproximately the loadcenter of the latter. The lower end of the arm 4is provided with a hub I which is rotatably mounted on an annularsm'face of the body C of a horizontally disposed fuel-valve. The hub isis provided with a lug 1 having a squared opening which fits over thesquared end of the valve pluglsothatasthearmlswingsonthevalve body as anaxis the valve plug turns with the movement of the arm and opens andcloses the valve.

2 j aoaaaoo 9 represents a fuel-supply pipe leading to a burner III, thevalve 6-1 being interposed in said pipe so that the supply of fuel isalternately turned on and off as the unit comprising the 5 twocontainers I and 3, the tube 2 and the arm 4 swings on its axis, thearrangement being such that as the unit moves counterclockwise into theposition indicated by full lines in Fig. l and approaches the end of itsmovement, the valve 10 is opened and fuel is supplied to the burner,

and as the unit starts a reverse or clockwise movement toward theposition indicated in dotted lines in Fig. 1, the valve is closed.

The preferable fuel is naturalor artificial gas,

15 but oil or other suitable fuel may be employed. If desired anelectric heater may be substituted for the heater Ill and the movementof the unit employed to open and close its circuit.

II represents a valve which is used to shut off 20 the fuel from pipe 9or to regulate the supply therein. I2 represents a pilot light for theburner I0, said light constantly burning so as to ignite the burner whenthe fuel is admitted thereto.

I3 is a vertically disposed fiue provided with a 25 heat-insulated walland into the lower end of which the burner I projects. The container Ialso moves vertically in said flue, alternately descending intoproximity to the burner and ascending away from the latter.

30 I4 represents a tank and I5 a well forming the lower portion of thetank. The walls of the well are provided with heat-insulation, asindicated at I6 in Fig. 1. Il represents a descending pipe connected tothe bottom of the well I5 35 and connected at its other end with thecooling coil I8 contained in the refrigerator I9 or other compartment orspace to be refrigerated. The

other end of the coil I8 is connected by the return pipe 20 with theupper portion of the well 40 I5. Thus a circulation of brine is providedfor.

It is obvious that where the refrigeration is accomplished by the directexpansion system instead of by means of the indirect evaporating system,such as by the circulation of brine, the

45 condenser-evaporator may be introduced directly into the space orcompartment to be refrigerated instead of immersed in the brine or otherfluid refrigerating medium.

The well I5, the pipes I1 and 20 and the coil 50 I8 are filled with asuitable liquid refrigerating medium, such, for instance, as brine,while above the liquid the tank I4 is filled or partially filled with aliquid of less specific gravity, such as oil.

If desired the brine may also partially fill the 55 tank and the oil maybe omitted, but I prefer to employ both liquids.

The arrangement is such that when the unit I2--3 is moved clockwise intothe position indicated in dotted lines in Fig. 1, the container 3 60 islowered into the well I5 and is immersed in the brine, but when the unitoccupies the position indicated in full lines in Fig. 1 the container iselevated into the tank and is immersed in the oil.

65 The operation of the apparatus described is as follows:

Assuming that the pilot light I2 is lighted but the valve I I closed,the apparatus will be at room temperature and substantially all of therefrig- 70 erant will be absorbed in the container I except a smallamount of vapor contained in tube 2 and container 3. The weight of therefrigerant is thus concentrated in the absorbent container I and thusthe unit I2--3 will be in the position 75 shown in solid lines in Fig. 1with the container the absorbent and driving it off through the tube 2into the container 3 wherein it condenses. As the refrigerant is drivenoff from the container 10 I into the container 3, the weight is shifted,thus causing the unit l-23 to swing clockwise in Fig. 1, therebyelevating the container I, closing the valve 68 and extinguishing theburner, and also causing the container 3 to descend into the well I5 andto be immersed in the brine.

The result is that the absorbent in container I cools while thepreviously condensed refrigerant in the container 3 by cooling the brineis evaporated, thus causing the refrigerant to travel through the tube 2back into the container I where it is reabsorbed.

Therefore the weight is shifted back to the container I causing theassemblage to swing counter-clockwise, causing the absorbent container Ito descend into proximity to the burner, elevating thecondenser-evaporator-container, 3 out of the brine in well I5 and intothe oil in tank I4. As the movement of the unit approaches its limit thevalve 69 is opened and the burner I 0 ignited, so that the refrigerantis again distilled out of the container I and the apparatus againreversed as above described.

2| represents a valve in the pipe 9 which is controlled by thethermostatic device 22 operated by the internal temperature of therefrigerator I9, so that the supply of gas in the pipe 9 for the burnerIII will be regulated by the desired temperature within therefrigerator. As a substitute for the thermostatic control 2I22, a valve23 indicated in dotted lines in Fig. 1 may be interposed in the brinecirculating pipe I! and controlled by the thermostatic mechanism 24 fromthe refrigerator I9.

vEither of these forms of thermostatic control may be used, but both arenot necessary.

To prevent the escape or waste of oil or other liquid from the tank I4 Imay provide the same with a lid 25 as indicated in Fig. 1 having anopening 26 of proper size to provide clearance for the movement of thetube 2.

It is obvious that the apparatus is automatic, the refrigerant beingalternately absorbed in container I and then distilled therefrom by theapplication of heat and condensed in container 3, whence it isevaporated by the heat of the brine in the circulating system andreabsorbed in container I.

In Fig. 4 I have shown the arm 4 mounted for movement on a shaft 21instead of on the valve body 6. The fuel pipe 9 is provided with aspringclosed valve 28 connected by a chain 29 with a lever 30 movingwith the arm 4. As the arm swings counterclockwise and approaches theend of its path of movement the slack of the chain is taken up and thevalve opened to supply fuel to the burner. When the arm 4 starts aclockwise movement the chain slacks and the valve closes, to remainclosed until the absorbent container is again lowered into its positionfor heat- In Figs. 5 and 6 I illustrate a modification in which the tankll is entirely enclosed. Thus the tank is provided with a lateralextension SI and both tank and extension are provided with a tighttop-closure 32. The side wall of the extension II is provided with anopening in which is fixed the casing ll of the fuel valve. The plug 34of the valve has the arm 35 rigidly attached to its outer end and thearm ll attached to its inner end.- The container I is mounted on theouter end of the arm II and the container 3 is mounted on the outer endof the arm fl. The tube 2 which connects the containers l and I is ledthrough an axial bore in the plug 34. Thus the arm 36 and the container3 are sealed in the tank.

Thus far I have described a single unit apparatus, but it will beunderstood that any number of units, each comprising an absorbentcontainer, a condenser-evaporator-container and connecting tube, may beemployed in one apparatus, and the said units may be arranged eitherforindependent movement or they may be coupled together to coaet intheir operation, the refrigerant in one unit or group of units beingabsorbed in the container or containers I, while the refrigerant in theother unit or group of units is being condensed in the container orcontainers 3, thus maintaining a continuous cooling effect on the brinein the circulating system.

Thus in Figs. 7 and 8 I have illustrated two units, one comprised of theabsorbent container la, the tube 2a, the condenser-evaporato'r-container3a and the supporting arm la, while the other unit comprises thecontainer lb, the tube 2b, the container 3b and the arm lb.

Each absorbent container is provided with its individual flue indicatedat Ito and lib. The gas burner l burns continuously and is positionedbeneath a movable deflector-flue 31 whose upper end may be swung intoregistration with the lower end of either the flue lie or l3b.

The arms 4a and 4b are provided with hubs 38 rotatably mounted on ashaft 39 carried by stands 40 rising from a support ll upon which theflues and the tank may also be mounted. Each of the hubs 38 are providedwith bevelled gears 42 facing each other and meshing with a thirdbevelled gear 43 fixed on the upper end of a. vertically disposed shaft44 journaled in the support ll. The lower end of the shaft 44 isattached to the deflector-flue 31 so that the latter is swung on avertical axis by the movement -of said shaft.

The tank I4 and well I! are of such size and shape to receive both ofthe condenser-evaporator-containers 3a and 3b.

The parts are assembled so that one of the absorbent containers islowered in its flue and the corresponding condenser-evaporator-containeris elevated in the well l5, while the other absorbent container iselevated and the corresponding condenser-evaporator-container is loweredinto the well. Thus in one of the units, la. 2a, 3a, 4a, the refrigerantis being distilled from the container la and condensed in the containerSo, while in the other unit lb, 2b, 3b, lb, the refrigerant is beingevaporated from the container 3b and absorbed in the container lb. Thedeflector is swung into position under the flue l3a of the unit in whichthe refrigerant is being distilled.

It is evident that as the weight in the one unit shifts from containerIa to the container 3a and in the other unit from the container 3 b tothe container lb, the flrst unit will swing clockwise and the secondunit will swing counterclockwise, reversing their relative positionshown in Fig. 8, the deflector flue 31 being simultaneously shifted fromthe flue l3a to the flue 5 lib. Furthermore the units will reverse theirit positions when the refrigerant is again absorbed in the container laand distilled from the container lb.

Thus the working of the apparatus is automatic and the brine is chilledby the alternate immersion of the condenser-evaporator containerstherein.

In Figs. 9 and 10 of the drawings I illustrate another embodiment of theprinciples of my invention in a multiple unit refrigerating apparatus.

Thus a plurality of absorbent containers indicated at la, la, le, and I!are symmetrically arranged about a common axis of rotation and are eachconnected by an individual tube, indicated at 2c, 2d, 2e, and 2} withtheir corresponding condenser-evaporator-containers 3c, 3d, 3e, and 3].The tubes have intermediate straight portions which are inclosed andflxed in the tubular shaft 45 which is preferably disposed in aninclfned position, such as shown in Fig. 9, and which is supported torotate freely as by the bearings 48.

One end of the shaft, the upper one in Fig. 9, is mounted on astar-shaped shield 41 which is hollow and between whose radiallydisposed arms the absorbent containers are positioned, the containersbeing mounted on the short angularly bent ends of the correspondingtubes which protrude from the shield. At the other end of the shaft thetubes are provided with bent ends whichextend through the wall of thetubular casing and have mounted thereon the correspondingcondenser-evenorator-containers, the opposite bent ends of a tube beingdisposed in planes at right angles to each other, so that when anabsorbent-container is being heated to distill the refrigerant therefromthe corresponding condenser-evaporator-container is raised out of thebrine well and into the oil in the tank to receive and condense therefrigerant therein. while the absorbent-container, corresponding to thecondenser-evaporator-container which is immersed in the brine in thewell and thus having the refrigerant evaporated therefrom, is ro tafedaway from the heating station so that it may cool and reabsorb therefrigerant.

The shaft 45 extends through the wall of the tank l4 at such an anglethat the several condenser-evaporator-containers are in turn, as theshaft rotates, immersed and moved through the brine in well l5 to chillthe brine and evaporate the refrigerant and then raised and movedthrough the oil in the tank It to permit the condensation of therefrigerant from the corresponding absorbent container.

48 represents a flue at whose lower end is placed the gas burner l0which preferably burns continuously while the apparatus is in operation.

The flue 48 is apertured on its side as at 49 and the shield 41 is sodisposed that as the shield rotates the absorbent containers are in turnbrought into the flue and exposed to the gas flame, while the radialarms of the shield act to close the aperture 49 in the side of theshield and thus prevent the lateral escape of the heat from the flue.Thus in turn the absorbent containers are heated, to distill theircontents into the corresponding condenser-evaporator-containers, and arecooled to permit the refrigerant evaporated from the correspondingcondenserevaporator containers to reabsorb.

Assuming the direction of rotation to be .as indicated by arrows in Fig.9, the refrigerant is being distilled from absorbent containers lo andId into andcondensed in condenser-evaporator-containers 3c and 3d, whilethe refrigerant is being evaporated from condenser-evaporator-containers3e and 3f into absorbent-containers le and If, respectively, thus byprogressively shifting the load causing the desired rotative movement tomake the operation automatic.

, 50 represents means for applying rotative power to the apparatus, suchas a bevelled gear mounted on the shaft and driven by a convenient powermeans where the operation is not to be wholly or in part automatic.

Among the advantages of my invention are the following. I

It provides a means of automatically obtaining a refrigerating effectfrom gas or other fuel without water-cooling.

The construction is very simple, inexpensive and durable with few movingparts.

The moving parts operate only intermittently with comparatively verylong intervals of rest. For that reason the machine will operate formany years without attention.

Again, all moving parts may be easily inspected and if trouble shoulddevelop it is easily detected and remedied.

There are no valves or obstructions of any description between theabsorbent container and the condenser-evaporator, and for that reason notrouble can occur due to leaky or stuck valves, and the efficiency ofthe device remains constant throughout its entire long life.

The valves, check valves, float valves, expansion valves, &c. are weakpoints in other refrigerating machines, and are responsible for aconsiderable proportion of troubles which develop. The entire absence ofthese in my invention is one of its greatest advantages.

I claim:-

1. In refrigerating apparatus operated on the absorption system, thecombination of an absorbent container in which a refrigerant is absorbedwhen the container is unheated and from which the refrigerant isdistilled when the container is heated, a condenser-evaporator containerin which the distilled refrigerant is received and condensed and fromwhich the refrigerant is evaporated by heat-transfer from the subject tobe refrigerated, a bath comprising superimposed strata of liquids havingdifferent specific gravities in which the condenser-evaporator is to beimmersed, and means for alternately simultaneously applying heat to theabsorbent container and moving the condenser-evaporator container intothe lighter liquid and simultaneously cutting off the heat from theabsorbent container and moving the condenser-evaporator container intothe heavier liquid.

2. In a refrigerating apparatus operated on the absorption principle,the combination of a plurality of absorbent containers, a like number ofcondenser-evaporator containers, tubes supporting and connecting saidabsorbent containers and condenser-evaporator containers in pairs, saidtubes being mounted intermediate of their ends to rock on a horizontalaxis and arranged to rock in unison in opposite directions, means forheating the absorbent containers when in the lowered positions, andheat-transfer means for evaporating the refrigerant from thecondenser-evaporator containers when in their lower positions, the tubesand containers being moved by the travel of the refrigerant from one ofthe communicating containers to the other. 5

3. In a refrigerating apparatus operated on the absorption principle,the combination of a plurality of absorbent containers, a like number ofcondenser-evaporator containers, tubes supporting and connecting saidabsorbent containers and 10 condenser-evaporator containers in pairs,said tubes being'mounted intermediate of their ends to rock on ahorizontal axis and arranged to rock in unison but in oppositedirections, means for applying heat in turn to the absorbent contain- 15ers as they move into their lower position, means whereby said heatingmeans is actuated by the movement of the containers, and heat-transfermeans for evaporating the refrigerant from the condenser-evaporatorcontainers when in their 20 lower positions, the tubes and containersbeing moved by the travel of the refrigerant from one of thecommunicating containers to the other.

4. In a refrigerating apparatus operated on the absorption principle,the combination of a plu- 25 rality of absorbent containers, a likenumber of condenser-evaporator containers, tubes supporting andconnecting said absorbent containers and condenser-evaporator containersin pairs, said tubes being mounted intermediate of their ends 80 to rockon a horizontal axis and arranged to rock in unison but in oppositedirections, means for applying heat in turn to the absorbent containersas they move into their lower position, and heat-transfer means forevaporating the refrig- 85 erant from the condenser-evaporatorcontainers when in their lower positions, the tubes and containers beingmoved by the travel of the refrigerant from one of the communicatingcontainers to the other.

5. In a refrigerating apparatus operated on the absorption principle,the combination of a plurality of absorbent containers, a like number ofcondenser-evaporator containers, tubes supporting and connecting saidabsorbent containers and 4.5 condenser-evaporator containers in pairs,said tubes being mounted intermediate of their ends to rock on ahorizontal axis and arranged to rock in unison in opposite directions,means for heating the absorbent containers when in the lowered 50positions, and heat-transfer means for evaporating the refrigerant fromthe condenser-evaporator containers when in their lowered positions, thetubes and containers being moved by the travel of the refrigerant fromone of the communicating containers to the other, the axis of movementof said containers being disposed below the center of gravity whereby toaccelerate the shift of said containers.

6. In a refrigerating apparatus operated on the absorption principle,the combination of a hollow shaft journaled for rotation on an axisangular to the horizontal, a plurality of absorbent containers mountedin annular series about one end of the shaft and rotating therewith, asimilar number of condenser-evaporator containers mount-ed in annularseries about the other end of the shaft and rotating therewith, tubesextending within the shaft and connecting each of said absorbentcontainers to one of the condenserevaporator containers and the membersof a connected pair of containers being relatively arranged about theshaft so that the alternate distillation of the refrigerant from anabsorbent container and its condensation in the correspondingcondenser-evaporator container and the subsequent evaporation of therefrigerant from said condenser-evaporator container and its absorptionin the corresponding absorbent container will cause said shaft torotate, heating means arranged to be brought into heating relation witheach of said absorbent containers in turn by the rotation of said shaft,and a bath comprised of two strata of liquids in which thecondenser-evaporator containers are immersed, the lower stratum beingcomprised of a liquid having greater specific gravity and in which saidcontainers are in turn immersed after the refrigerant has been condensedtherein and the higher stratum of less specific gravity in which saidcontainers are in turn immersed for the condensing operation.

7 In a refrigerating apparatus operated on the absorption principle, thecombination of a hollow shaft journaled for rotation on an axis angularto the vertical, a plurality of absorbent containers mounted in annularseries about one end of the shaft and rotating therewith, a similarnumber of condenser-evaporator containers mounted in annular seriesabout the other end of the shaft and rotating therewith, tubes extendingwithin the shaft and connecting each of said absorbent containers to oneof the condenser-evaporator containers and the members of a connectedpair of containers being relatively arranged about the shaft so that thealternate distillation of the refrigerant from an absorbent containerand its condensation in the corresponding condenserevaporator containerand the subsequent evaporation of the refrigerant from saidcondenserevaporator container and its absorption in the correspondingabsorbent container will cause said shaft to rotate, heating meansarranged to be brought into heating relation with each of said absorbentcontainers in turn by the rotation of said shaft, and a bath comprisedof two strata of liquids in which the condenser-evaporator containersare immersed, the lower stratum being comprised of a liquid forming partof the circulating system and having greater specific gravity and inwhich said containers are in turn immersed after the refrigerant hasbeen condensed therein and the higher stratum of less specific gravityin which said containers are in turn immersed for the condensingoperation.

8. In a refrigerating apparatus operated on the absorption system, thecombination of a condenser-evaporator container in which a refrigerantis alternately condensed and from which it is evaporated, atank in whichthe container is moved from one portion of the tank to another portionthereof, a bath of liquid in said tank comprising a lower stratum ofhigher specific gravity and an upper stratum of lower specific gravity,and means to immerse said container in the lower stratum for theevaporating operation and in the upper stratum for the condensingoperation.

9. In a refrigerating apparatus operated on the absorption system, thecombination of a condenser-evaporator container in which a refrigerantis alternately condensed and from which it is evaporated, a tank inwhich the container is moved from one portion of the tank to anotherportion thereof, a bath of liquid in said tank comprising a lowerstratum of higher specific gravity and an upper stratum of lowerspecific gravity and means to immerse said container in the lowerstratum for the evaporating operation and in the upper stratum for thecondensing operation, 5 said container having insulated walls to preventheat transference between the lower stratum of liquid and atmosphere.

10. The process of refrigerating a body of circulating liquidrefrigerating medium, such for instance as brine, which comprises thealternately repeated steps of condensing an inclosed' body of a suitablerefrigerant while immersed in a bath of liquid of less specific gravitythan said liquid medium and then evaporating said refrigerant byimmersing the same in a portion of said circulating medium whereby thelatter is chilled by heat-transference to said refrigerant.

11. In refrigerating apparatus, the combination of acondenser-evaporator container, a liquid bath composed of superimposedstrata of liquids, the upper liquid of the upper stratum being of lessspecific gravity than that of the lower stratum and the latter beingcomposed of a refrigerating medium such for instance as brine, and meansfor moving said container into i said upper stratum for the condensingoperation and into the lower stratum for the evaporating operation.

12. In refrigerating apparatus operated on the absorption system, thecombination of an absorbent container in which the refrigerant isabsorbed when the container is unheated and from which the refrigerantis distilled when the con tainer is heated, a condenser-evaporatorcontainer in which the distilled refrigerant is received and condensedand from which the refrigerant is evaporated by heat-transfer from thesubject to be refrigerated, a bath comprising superimposed strata ofliquids having different specific gravities in which thecondenser-evaporator container is immersed, and means for moving thecondenser evaporator container into tion of a condenser-evaporatorcontainer, a tank having its lower portion formed to contain a bath ofliquid refrigerating medium such for instance as brine, and the upperportion of the tank arranged to contain a bath of liquid of lessspecific gravity, and the containers being moved into the firstmentioned liquid when it is desired to cool said liquid and into thesecond named liquid when it is desired to cool the containers.

14. In refrigerating apparatus, the combination of acondenser-evaporator container, a tank having its lower portion formedto contain a bath of liquid refrigerating medium such for instance asbrine, and the upper portion of the tank arranged to contain a bath ofliquid of less atmosphere.

1 JAMES C. ARMOR.

